Part of the series: Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Innovations Podcast

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How do you keep a baby or toddler safe with food allergies when they put everything in their mouths and can’t yet explain how they feel?

This stage of life is full of firsts, not just for your child, but for you as a parent managing food allergies. From introducing new foods to navigating daycare and watching for reactions in a child who can’t speak yet, there are countless moments you’ll need to manage. This episode focuses on building safe habits early, empowering caregivers, and showing how simple routines (like label reading or toy wiping) can make a big difference.
Allergist Dr. Basil Kahwash joins Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta to explore how food allergy care evolves from infancy through preschool. They cover real-life, practical strategies from wiping toys and watching for symptoms to managing daycare risks and building early self-advocacy skills.

What we cover in our episode about managing food allergies in toddlers:

  • Why age matters. Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers each need different safety strategies.

  • What symptoms look like. Learn how reactions can show up in babies who can’t talk.

  • Introducing new foods. Why early introduction still matters even after a new food allergy diagnosis.

  • Daycare safety tips. How to prep caregivers and keep your child protected.

  • Building habits early. From label reading to toy wiping, young kids learn by watching you.

About Dr. Basil Kahwash

Dr. Basil Kahwash is a board-certified allergist and immunologist at Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians. He specializes in the diagnosis and management of food allergies, asthma, and other allergic conditions in both children and adults. He’s especially passionate about making evidence-based food allergy care accessible for families at every stage of life.

 

Episode 3 in our “Food Allergies: Ages & Stages” series 

Across six episodes, we explore how food allergies show up and shift through different phases of life, from introducing solids in infancy to navigating school and adapting in adulthood. We’re here with evidence-based info, expert insights, and lived experience to guide you through it all.


Episodes we mentioned about food allergies


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Top 5 tips for parents managing food allergies in yound children

  1. Model safe habits early. Toddlers imitate what you do, narrate actions like label reading and handwashing to build lifelong safety routines.

  2. Don’t skip early food introduction. Even after a diagnosis, introducing new allergens helps prevent more allergies. Only test for food allergies if there’s a reaction history.

  3. Watch for non-obvious symptoms. Mood changes like crankiness or sleepiness can be early signs of a reaction in babies.

  4. Train your village. Make sure daycare staff and caregivers know where epinephrine is and how to use it. Use trainer devices and role-play if needed.

  5. Emotional wellness matters. Your child mirrors your energy, so creating calm routines can reduce anxiety for both of you.

 

Timestamps

Our episode explores how to manage food allergies with babies and toddlers.

01:13 Introduction to Dr. Basil Kahwash

01:38 Why managing food allergies by age matters

02:37 How infants are exposed to food allergens

03:35 Should you keep an allergen-free home?

04:47 Are babies born with food allergies?

06:48 Is early introduction different for babies with a food allergy diagnosis?

09:45 What allergic reactions look like in babies

11:00 How symptoms change as kids get older

12:50 Using epinephrine in infants and toddlers

16:00 Talking to daycare staff about food allergies

19:05 Label reading: When and how to involve your child

21:50 Eating at someone else’s house or at restaurants

24:27 Do toddlers need a medical alert bracelet?

25:43 Mental health for food-allergic kids and their parents

28:17 Managing parent anxiety around your child

29:35 Final tips from both doctors

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Ep. 113: Managing Food Allergies in Children (Ages 5–11)

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Ep. 111: New Diagnosis – Food Allergy Basics for All Ages